The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-14
STAND BY THE UNION.
JEFFERSON DAVIS GIVES GOOD
ADVICE AT MERIDIAN.

Hundreds of People Gather to Shake
the Ex-Chieftain by the Hand-The
Women of the City Present Him With
a Floral Wreath-A Patriotic Reply
to Toast.
MERIDIAN, Miss, May 13.-At II o'clock
yesterday morning public reception was
given Hon. Jefferson Davis at the residence
of Col. j. r. Mcintosh, where he is stop
ping. For two hours perfect stream of
people passed through the parlors and shook
hands with the ex-chieftian and his beauti-
ful daughter. Mr.. Davis was in his best
humor and had a pleasant word for each
one that shook his hand. At 5 o'clock last
evening a banquet and reception was given
in the court house grounds. Mr.. Davis
made short address, in which he thanked
the people of Meridian for their most COR
dial reception.
THE PRESS ASSOCIATION.
At this point the members of the Press
Association assembled the platform in a
body and presented their respects to him
At the banquet there were 800 plates, and
seated at the tables were the most dlstin-
guished men of the State. A floral wreath
to Mr. Davis in the name of the women of
Meridian. Mr.. Davis, in accepting it, said:
GOD has graced the South with beautiful
flowers and lovely women. The most
blessed of women are those of our own
Southland With such feeling ex-
pressions, the beautiful flowers which were
arranged SO artistically by loving hands
are more beautiful than anything that has
been given to me-"
MR. DAVIS SPEAKS.
The second toast was to jefferson Davis,
soldier, statesman and champion of South
ern rights" 1t was responded to by Hon
Thomas H. Woods. When Mr.. Davis rose
to reply he was greeted with long-continued
applause. He began by apologizing for the
short address he would make them and said
that he was quite fatigued from the days
exercises. Continuing, he said: 81 am un-
able to treat this theme as it should be with
out generalization. What was the army
and navy of the South2 1t was the patriot
ism of persons who barred their breasts to
bullets in defending constitutional right.
CoNsECRATED TO DEATH.
''With great navies and armies against
us we formed regiments and battalions. At
their head we placed Gen. Lee as their COM
mander. Weremember the scenes where the
wife, as she threw her arms around her hus-
bands neck, and daughters in loving em
brace gathering around those that were to
CO. and then the widowed mother, as she
let teardrops fall on the face of the devoted
son she would never see again, and girdled
his sword to his waist and told him to go
forth as his father would have done. Those
were the kind of men we had.
FIGHTING TERRIBLE ODDS.
"With inferior numbers of men me march
ed onward fighting for our rights, and battle
after battle was fought and won. But
Northern historians never conceded that
and indulged in triumphs of mind over mat
ter. But now those scenes and incidents
have passed and they only live in minds and
history. United you are now and If the
union is ever to be broken let the other side
break it. The army of the South will shine
forever around the camp fires, and will still
shine to our children and children's children.
The truth we fought for shall not encourage
you to ever fight again, but keep your word
in good or evil God bless you all